


Panic

by MissOverlord



Category: Puyo Puyo (Video Games)
Genre: Biting, Boys Kissing, Consent, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, M/M, Making Out, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mistakes, Supportive Partners, clothes as restraints, making out gone wrong, past trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25159546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissOverlord/pseuds/MissOverlord
Summary: Sometimes, things don't go as smoothly as intended for reasons no one can anticipate. A playful make out session between a nerd and half-demon takes a turn for the worse when an unexpected fear rears its ugly head and ruins EVERYTHING.
Relationships: Klug/Sig (Puyo Puyo)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 35





	Panic

**Author's Note:**

> This fic falls somewhere during/after Further Demonic Entanglement, so they're about 17-18. Reading that isn't required. It's a bit saucy, but with no actual sexual content, just making out. LOTS of it. Because I am terrible.
> 
> I kind of wrote this a while ago, but wasn't sure about putting it up. Depending on the kind of feedback I get from this, I might consider putting up some stuff that's a bit less tame, but if there's no interest then it's kind of pointless.

Sprawled out on top of his bed in a state of partial undress, Klug was taking a breather in the middle of a rather _intense_ makeout session. Snuggled up to his bare chest was, of course, a cyan-haired individual with heterochromatic eyes, who was spending the break pinging the buttons of Klug's open dress shirt with his claws.

"U-um, hey, Sig," the mage's voice was tinged with a hint of nervousness as he ruffled his boyfriend's hair, "I was... wondering... something."

 _Kinda a broad subject._ The bug catcher shifted a bit, abandoning the buttons to meet his companion's glasses-less gaze. Whatever it was, it seemed to worry the model student he was so fond of. His voice was deliberately soft, inferring that whatever it was, it was safe to bring up, "sure, go ahead. Listening."

"Right. J-just to be clear, I'm perfectly happy with, well, what we've been doing so far. A-and if that's the extent of our, umm, activity, that's fine. It really is!" The mage always got a little stutter-y when he was nervous, and at this time he _was_. He cleared his throat unnecessarily, trying to give voice to the thoughts scrabbling around in his mind, "I... I wanted to know if you'd be, um, _comfortable_ with the possibility of maybe going a little bit farther? Not like, ah, _sleeping together_ , but just, um, further exploration, kind of?"

 _So,_ **_so_ ** _many extra words,_ Klug winced. In addition to stammering, he was prone to ramble or over explain things whenever he felt uneasy. An upbringing that had been conservative with affection and related topics led to his habit of trying to refer to something without actually _mentioning_ the subject directly. Add in a touch of anxiety over pushing matters too far or too fast and you had one _very_ difficult-to-talk-to student of dark and celestial magics.

It was serendipitous that he'd just _happened_ to fall for a person patient enough to put up with his self-described 'nonsense'. Not an accurate descriptor for the tangled ball of anxiety, insecurity and myriad idiosyncrasies he possessed, but it was less of a mouthful.

Sig took his time unraveling the unnecessary verbal threads, trying to find the central point of the mass. He dragged his clawed hand up and down the mage's shirt sleeve as he thought, watching the fabric crease and smooth. Upon reaching a conclusion, he tentatively summarized, "asking about more than making out, but less than sex?"

Though the appraisal was accurate, Klug involuntarily blushed, fine with the _concept_ but not the descriptor, especially coming from the lips of his companion. Why, _why_ did he have to use such a common and vulgar-sounding term?! True, there were much more crass terms Sig could've chosen from, but it _still_ felt weird hearing it from that doe-eyed, innocent-looking face.

"Y-yes, essentially. I... I wanted to know how you felt about the idea, _potentially,_ of cour-"

Sig couldn't help smiling as a small, snuffly laugh escaped his throat, partially a reaction to the mage's continued floundering but _mostly_ from the flushed cheeks. Klug looked so _cute_ when he went all pink, or, less commonly, red. "Could just _ask_ , 'stead of asking about _maybe_ asking. 'S okay."

"F-fine, fine! _Are_ you interested in doing things more intimate than making out, or are you just interested in making a bookworm squirm around for your personal amusement?" The mage was well-aware that his beau found humor in seeing him minorly flustered, _minorly_ being the operative word. Having him genuinely _mortified_ or seriously uncomfortable didn't give either one of them any pleasure.

"Mhmm… is 'both' okay, or just one?"

Klug... hadn't really considered that possibility. The second option had been _meant_ as comedy alone, just something to show he wasn't actually annoyed at his boyfriend for being 'difficult'. But, Sig _was_ something of a literalist. "Fine, fine," he sighed, rolling his eyes for effect, "if you want to choose both, I suppose it's doable."

... _Wait._ If the somnolist asked about _both_... that implied at least an interest in a 'yes'. 

Satisfied with the judgement, Sig took the hand at the end of the shirt sleeve into his own mitts, rubbing the palm with his two disparate thumbs before holding it flat against his chest. With a small nod, he looked up at the green-eyed mage, a gentle look on his face as he said, "both sounds good."

While he wasn't _thrilled_ at accidentally labeling himself as Sig's personal plaything... well, Sig had been careful enough with him up to this point that he wasn't scared of being broken. He tried flexing the fingers of his captive hand, barely able to disturb the rumpled t-shirt material beneath. "It's acceptable, provided that you agree not to tickle me on purpose. Deal?"

"Deal." No hesitancy whatsoever. Though, the entomophile still had a question for his bookworm. Releasing the hand, the little poofs on his head wavered as he posited, "is now good..?"

_Of_ **_course_ ** _he'd ask that,_ the mage smirked, completely unsurprised that his companion would seize the invitation to make him writhe as soon as possible. The second half, he had no reservations over, but the first involved more discussion. "It's... it's important to set boundaries, first. What you do or _don't_ want to do, for example, me and tickling..."

"Kinda hard, haven't done this before... have you?" It wasn't an accusation, and Sig didn't _think_ that the mage had, but things... sometimes happened.

"Tch! N-no, just, well, if there's anything you _think_ you wouldn't like, and want to avoid," the color in his face deepened, "I'm fine with you biting the, um, neck and shoulder area, but elsewhere I'd rather if you didn't use teeth, at least not right away."

A reasonable enough request. Sig nodded in acknowledgement, though very little came to mind that he was certain he disliked. Well, apart from one _obvious_ thing. "Gotcha. You, umm, know about not pulling my hair... things... right? Kinda don't like losing those, not the end of the world, they grow back. Just not on purpose?"

"Of course, of course! I wouldn't anyway. I'm... kind of curious, though, does losing those... hurt?" From time to time, Sig _did_ lose them, usually in overkill puyo battles. He found it kind of creepy, frankly, though while they were _attached_ they were oddly charming.

"Umm... sort of. Pulling hurts a little. Itches when they grow back, though. Don't like it, it's... annoying?" Or maybe irritating was a better word? Said hair-tenne twitched as he pondered which was more accurate, though both meant similar things... had he _ever_ considered word choice before spending time with Klug? The bookworm was rubbing off on him, it seemed.

"Y-yes, I suppose it would be. Is there anything else that springs to mind? And, you know, if either of us feel uncomfortable with something-"

"Mmhmm, it's okay to stop, just say so. Right?"

So far that hadn't been necessary very often, but more open avenues meant more potential complications. While Sig seemed permissive in general he _was_ capable of saying 'no' to the mage, and had done so. Though it had stemmed from a misunderstanding of an idiom, Klug found it a relief that his partner wouldn't just blindly agree to _everything_.

"Right. So, umm... any ideas of what to do with your current catch?" The scholar asked timidly, an eyebrow raised in a poor attempt at being coy. Judging from how his color had returned to normal, he seemed comfortable with the situation at hand.

Finally rising from his cozy spot on the mage, Sig sat up, stretching his arms above his head. It _had_ been awhile since he'd curled up for their shared 'break', and being stiff wasn't his idea of fun. Mid-stretch, he noticed Klug just... staring.

The way the fabric hung, exposing just a hint of stomach and hip, to say nothing of the unusual arm or the face framed by a charmingly tousled mop of hair, all highlighted by the natural light filtering in through the window made for a striking sight. _Stars, he's just so, s-_

"You like..?" Smirking, the entomophile held the pose for several seconds longer than necessary, then relaxed, crossing his arms as he stared back at his friend. Apparently he expected some sort of an answer.

Klug's first instinct was to apologize, say that he hadn't meant to stare, but he... stopped. Instead, the celestial mage nodded in agreement, looking his sweetheart in the eyes. "Yes. Yes, I do, in fact. I've said you were stunning before, and you're _still_ stunning. You're, well, _handsome,_ " he offered, feeling suddenly self-conscious, "I'm just... kind of mousey, in comparison."

"Nah. Y' act rabbity, sometimes, but don't look like a mouse..."

"I didn't mean _literally_ , Si-... wait, are you messing with me again?"

Shrugging, Sig's face seemed split by an overly-large grin, the tufts on his head seeming to flatten in a smug sort of way. "Maaaybe," he drawled, "still say you're rabbity. Nervous, panicky, fun to cuddle, really soft hair..."

"At... at least half of those are goo-" Klug stopped short, startled by a sudden move on his companion's part. Before he knew what was happening Sig had him pinned down, teeth at his throat, letting out an involuntary squeak of alarm. "S-Sig!"

"... Squeak when you're startled, too. So, so cute," the half-demon fawned, nuzzling his lapin-esque boyfriend's neck, "really, _really_ love you, Bunny."

 _That_ was the reason for the nickname?! The mage had been curious about the moniker's etymology, but it made Sig so _happy_ that he didn't think it worth pursuing. Hands restrained and a giggling boyfriend's cheek rubbing on his shoulder, there didn't seem much that the scholar could do apart from talk. "H-hey, I thought you wanted to make a _bookworm_ squirm, not a bunny."

Sig cared not for that particular detail, offering, "could name a bookworm 'Bunny'. No laws 'gainst that." Still, if the mage wanted to wriggle he'd be happy to assist. So, _so_ slowly, he ran his tongue up his beau's neck, hot breath both teasing the skin and warming the saliva.

"Ah, I _...I_ ," the pitch of Klug's murmurings gradually raised in pitch until they reached a shaky falsetto, losing all form and devolving into a series of whines. Shivers ran down his spine while his partner caressed his neck, practically playing him like a fiddle. "S-S- _Sig!_ I..."

"Mmnhmn?" Wanting to give the scholar a chance to talk or just breathe, he switched to gently mouthing his quarry's shoulder, the barest hint of enameled points poking against flesh.

Taking in air, Klug panted softly, probably still a little tired from earlier, _prior_ to their important conversation. Admittedly, he was easy to please, easy to overwhelm, but he _still_ wondered how Sig made him feel this way. He could find the odd sensitive spot on the bug catcher here and there but it required much more effort and finesse, which he was _fine_ with, but...

"S-Sig, I... I want you to know how good this feels, h-how you make me feel," he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Mmn? Mm," giving up his mouth hold, the somnolist wiped the excess saliva on his t-shirt, unwilling to dribble on his friend as he spoke, "kinda already do. You're, um, really... vocal?" It sounded kinder than calling Klug 'noisy' and he _did_ like the sounds, often trying to find new ones on purpose.

"That's... that's not what I mean. I want you to _know_ , not... just _hear_ it from me. Please, let me up?" 

He didn't have to make weird statements _just_ so Sig would let him up. Without complaint, the half-soul backed off, even giving his comrade a helping hand getting upright. Sig just observed him curiously, not quite sure what he was talking about.

Klug, too, didn't seem incredibly sure either, though it was clear just by looking that he was planning... something. There seemed to be an odd glint in his eyes, making them shine like emeralds as he deliberately... stacked pillows against the headboard? It resembled what one would craft if they intended serious reading before bed, just kind of overkill.

"Alright, this should be fine," mumbling to himself, the mage seemed satisfied. He gestured to the construct with an almost charming look on his face, "if you'd be so kind..."

Scooting over to the pillow pile, the half-soul wriggled a little until he was comfortable. Still not solid on the _why_ , he blinked his half-lidded eyes and asked, "this is for..?"

Suddenly turning bashful again, Klug's face flushed while he tried not to stammer, "w-well, it's easier to get to more places if you're like this. It's also, ah, potentially better for something new, d-depending on how things go, only if you're interested, of cour-- _orse!!"_

... And the next instant the academic found himself pressed up against a chuckling Sig's chest, wrapped in a warm embrace. He hadn't been aware of his racing heart until now, confronted with the slow, regular breathing of his sweetheart. _Stars,_ was he always going to be like this? It really wasn't surprising that Sig likened him to a rabbit, so timid and easily flustered behind the confident image he tried to project in public. Being held like this always seemed to have a calming effect on him, again, like a real bunny. Sighing, he returned the hug and allowed himself to relax.

_Still so nervous,_ the somnolist noted, honestly not shocked at his point. Being highly-strung was just part of Klug's psyche and not something to take personally. His chin rested on the mage's shoulder as they hugged. Willing to give his bookworm all the time he needed for the tension to ease, he hummed reassuringly, "love you, Klug."

"... You're too good for me, Sig, you really are," he murmured, fingers riffling with the t-shirt fabric.

Unable to tell if the bibliophile was being serious or merely talking, Sig loosened his grip and drew back a little, wanting to look the mage in the eyes. Though the partially closed green orbs might have been mistaken for sorrowful, the soft smile was anything but. Still, it wouldn't hurt to refute. "Nah, think you're worthwhile. Said you wanted to try something?"

"I... yes, I did say that," he mumbled sedately, taking a breath as his head cleared, " _potentially._ It's something that I have to work up to, and only if y-"

 _How_ many times had Sig cut him off mid-sentence with a kiss? The number was easily in the double-digits. Ah well, at least the bug hunter never interrupted when it was important, just when it was something obvious or had already _been_ said. This kiss was an ordinary one, neither overlong nor too brief, the kind meant to get his attention but not direct it.

Both disparately-colored eyes gazed at him: _him_ , the wanna-be dark mage whose self-satisfied arrogance masked an insecure, rabbity boy often driven to tears when faced with failure. Those luminous crimson and azure orbs were absolutely serene and filled with adoration and love, love for _him_ , whether he felt he deserved it or not.

"Sig..." It was barely a squeak, hardly a whisper as his breath caught in his throat.

"Ye-"

It was the somnolist's turn to be cut off, the mage's mouth over his, kissing him adamantly, almost aggressively. Unusual, as his partner was normally fairly passive, even reserved. This new boldness wasn't a _problem_ , of course. That was when he felt the fingers running through his hair, their owner searching for-

"Mnh..!" The exclamation was muffled, a soft sound in the bug catcher's throat as a delicate hand toyed carefully with the hair-like cyan plumes atop his head. The area wasn't quite as alive to the touch now as it was in his 'black' form, but it still felt nice, especially since he wasn't worried that the hair-tenne would be tugged or plucked from him on purpose. 

"That... feels nice?.. Sig?" Klug huffed between smooches, not wanting to stop if he didn't have to, busily ruffling his sweetheart's hair while his free hand started to wander. 

"Mmn... um, uh huh," Sig murmured, breathing a little faster as the mage brushed up his left side, fingers trailing where the normal skin transitioned into carmine. He needed more air, gently pushing his palm into his lover's chest as notice.

Complying, the academic broke it immediately, asking between heavy exhalations, "need me to stop?.. Still doing okay?" His hands froze in place, awaiting an answer.

"N-needed to breathe," the bug catcher panted, bangs completely obscuring one of his eyes as he smirked, "don't want you to stop, Bunny."

"Good, good. I... I wanted to be sure," he offered a meek smile, tracing the length of the blue-ish plumes, feeling them vibrate at the touch. Odd little things, yes, but so, so unique, very much like their bearer. All the while, he continued to probe along the rough textured border, making mental notes whenever his boyfriend squirmed or gasped. _So, so cute._ He nudged into Sig's neck, legitimately baffled that this person could've _ever_ feared being seen as a monster.

The high-pitched keen that came from the somnolist as Klug's teeth and tongue brushed the exposed neck was so, _so_ satisfying. It was a far cry from the reaction he'd garnered the first time he'd tried, an awkward act done out of solidarity and comfort. 'Biting' really wasn't his specialty but it made Sig _so_ happy. His brand of mouthing was far less zealous, far less _moist_ , but still garnered the response he wanted.

"Feels nice," Sig's voice came in a breathy murmur, relishing the attention with his eyes closed, "really, really nice..."

Though it was all in the spirit of play, there was something the half-demon found appealing about feigning vulnerability with his sweetheart, letting the mage enjoy the feeling of power.

Maybe... maybe this was a good time to try something new, something _daring._ Sig's throat still 'trapped' in his poor excuse for jaws, the scholar's left arm moved to support himself while the right hand started to wander steadily south, fingertips tracing the edges of his boyfriend's ribs and belly.

Perhaps Klug was being too subtle or maybe his beau was just distracted by the mouthing; in either case, something a little more brazen seemed necessary. His palm glided to rest on his oblivious partner's thigh, softly squeezing before gradually sliding inward.

 _That_ worked.

"K-Klug!"

The startled-sounding squeak of an exclamation made the hand stop. Releasing his hold on the bug catcher's neck, the mage asked, "sorry, too much?"

Sig just sort of stared in what looked like wide-eyed shock. Internally cringing, the bibliophile lamented, _yeah, definitely too much. What were you thi-_

" _Klug,_ " he repeated, this time in a sultry-sounding rumble (or as close as he could manage), claws and fingers tracing his friend's shoulders before sliding the dress shirt off completely, "love you..."

"S-so it's okay?"

"Mmm hrmm," Sig purred, hugging his uneasy sweetheart and affectionately touching noses, "let you know if it's too much, promise..."

"Ah, well that's good to hea-"

"... Don't push yourself, either. Deal?" Completely and utterly serious, his hold on the mage soft, but unyielding. He seemed unwilling to let go until he was satisfied.

Who did the entomophile think Klug was, some weak-willed crony who'd make himself uncomfortable _just_ to make his partner happy?.. _oh,_ **_stars_** _, he really_ **_does_ ** _know me_...

"F-fine, fine, I accept your terms," with a flippant grin, the academic stole a kiss, then added, "you're a shrewd negotiator, you know that?"

"Nah, you're a bookworm," Sig smiled warmly, hands coming to rest loosely on the mage's hips, "nothing like a shrew."

"... You're messing with me again, aren't you?" 

"Yah."

"Tch, now you're just openly admitting it! How brazen can you get?!"

"A question or a challenge?"

"Hmph," in a huff of mock frustration, Klug used his full insubstantial weight to push his palms into the quippy bug hunter's shoulders, squishing him into the pillows, "neither, it was a rhetorical question. You lose, Snugglebug."

"Lose _what?_ Didn't know it was a game..."

"Well," green eyes sparkling with mischief, he paused to give his lover a slow, lingering kiss, "top or bottom?"

" _Bunny_ ," the somnolist broke into demure giggling, glancing off to the side, "pretty daring..."

"T-that's not what I meant and you know it!"

"Hrmm... both?" It seemed a fairly reliable option and had worked out well for him in the past.

"Sig, you know it's referring to clothes, right?" The mage deadpanned, not sure whether Sig was just playing with him or not. Judging from the hair-tenne's slight flickering, his sweetheart _didn't_. "Look, it's… never mind, just forget it."

Though a small amount of color showed on the entomophile's cheeks, he shook his head and murmured, "nah, picked both. Um, got a condition, though..."

"Which is..?"

" _You_ remove 'em," his voice was a low, soft rumble as he grinned.

"If that's how it has to be," smirking, the bibliophile gave his lover a short but sweet kiss, "I don't have much of a choice, then, do I?"

"Could always say 'no', Klug..."

"... And _why_ would I do that?" Electing to start with the easier article, he slid the fabric of the shirt up, then... stopped. Curiously, he asked, "h-hey, Sig, how would you feel about, um, if I..."

"Hm? About..?"

"W-well, you like having your chest touched, so I, um, I was wondering if you'd mind," Klug took a deep breath, trying to force the words out, "ifIkisseditinstead?!"

Sig had raised his arms to make stealing his shirt easier, but he lowered them when the mage started stammering again, blinking while he tried to parse the rapid-fire chatter. _Twitch_. A small smile blossomed as he hugged his nervous bookworm. "Sure. Want this off first, though?"

 _Stars,_ was the half-demon's bare chest really this warm or was it just all the blood that rushed to his head? "O-oh, right. I still haven't done that yet. Sor-" Yet again, the bug catcher cut him off mid-apology.

The mage seemed dazed for a moment, grass-green eyes just staring at Sig as he breathed. Licking his own lips, he resumed the task at hand, getting the shirt over and off of his partner's head. He stopped for a second time, mid-forearm, as a mischievous grin formed. "You know, maybe this is far enough..."

Arms still stuck in the tee-shirt, they were, in a sense, as good as bound. "U-um, Bunny? What are y-"

Klug practically leapt on the baffled-looking somnolist, kissing him greedily, slipping one arm behind the cyan-haired head, carefully toying with the plumes. Skin to skin with nothing in between, it probably felt hotter than it really was. Very, _very_ satisfying.

"Mmnh!" Sig squeaked, blushing as his lover meddled with his hair-tenne, unable to manage much of a protest even if he wanted to. He wasn't used to being restrained like this, not yet sure if he liked it or not. The kiss, however, he eagerly accepted, his tongue brushing against the mage's.

Eyes half-closed, the scholar broke the bond and hummed, looking over his... compromised... companion. He picked up on the color in Sig's face immediately, not used to seeing his partner blush. Staying his hand, he quietly inquired, "hey, Snugglebug, still doing okay?"

Breath coming in short huffs, he stared up at the mage and squirmed, "g-good... just, um, n-not sure about the arms."

"Oh, that's... sorry. I can take it off i-"

"Mmn, m-maybe move it up? Make it easier to get free..." While the bug hunter felt uneasy about being bound, he wasn't quite ready to cede. That way, he could escape on his own if he really wanted to.

"S-sure, not a problem, not at all," the bookworm murmured, pushing the fabric just above his sweetheart's wrists, waiting for approval before moving on.

Sig tested the bonds, still present but much easier to slip out of than before. With a small sigh of relief, he relaxed, feeling slightly more comfortable and at ease. "Thanks, Bunny," he purred, raising himself just enough to steal a kiss of his own, "so, you were..?"

"Hm?" Blinking, the mage seemed more than slightly distracted, though the kiss drew his attention back. "Ah, sorry. I wanted to make sure you were okay and, well... I just love looking at you..."

'Tenne wavering, the somnolist quietly asked, "like this? Tied up, kinda?"

Klug stopped breathing, face going beet red as his curious lover watched him. What was he _supposed_ to say? Just _admit_ that he found the whole business oddly appealing? Sig didn't exactly seem _thrilled_ with the concept and pushing one way or the other didn't sit well with him.

The silence was practically an answer all on its own.

All the while, Klug continued to stare.

It was... uncomfortable.

 _Awkward_.

Why did it feel so weird? Normally Sig didn't mind the academic's gaze. Welcomed it, even. Being restrained didn't hurt, and being able to escape made it tolerable. Something about combining the two, though, was making a knot form in his chest, making it hard to breathe. This... this felt wrong. 

"... Don't stare. Please, Klug..." Looking away, the color on the bug hunter's cheeks deepened as his distress rapidly grew. In a panic, he struggled to get free as he whimpered, "don't like being stared at, not like this. _Please_ don't."

Snapping out of his stupor, the bibliophile reached out and pulled the offending garment off in an instant, stammering the whole time. " _S-Sig!_ I'm sorry, s-so sorry, I never i-intended..!"

It took time for his liberation to sink in, to realize he wasn't stuck in the fabric prison anymore. Hyperventilating probably wasn't helping, rapid breaths punctuated with soft sobs.

The panic seemed to be contagious. Guilt threatened to consume the mage, knowing _he_ was responsible for this and at a loss of how to _fix_ it. Freeing his partner hadn't worked. He was hesitant to touch the half-demon, not wanting to make things worse. Helplessly, he tried to be reassuring, tried to quell the fear. "Sig, _Sig,_ i-it's okay, you're free now. Deep breaths, okay? Just... try to breathe, nice and slow. I'm not staring, Sig, I _promise_ you..."

Sig's bare chest still heaved but the cries tapered off and eventually stopped. Slowly, he blinked, shakily examining his wrists. Nothing was on them anymore. Rubbing his forearms as though he'd been manacled instead of merely hung up in his own clothes, he wheezed something under his breath, though all that could be heard was, "sorry..."

"You have nothing, _nothing_ to feel sorry about. It's okay, you're free," Klug repeated, fighting back his own dread-inducing anxiety, "is it... is it alright to hug you? I swear, Sig, I didn't know."

"D-didn't...either." The bug catcher mewled and clung to his bookworm, wanting very much to be held, wedging his head into the crook of the mage's neck. For now, he was focused on calming down, trying to tame each inhalation and exhalation. "Isn't... your fault."

As much as Klug wanted to believe that, he couldn't. He kept quiet and didn't refute it. Arguing blame couldn't result in anything good right now. Instead, he simply held his beau, trying to be as comforting as he could, his unspoken self-loathing nourishing the seeds of doubt that remained rooted in his heart. "If there's anything, _anything_ I can do, just tell me."

"Anything? Really?" Sig's voice was a low monotone. For now, all the somnolist desired was to stay close, trying to understand the cause of his panic attack. Nothing, absolutely _nothing_ came to mind. It was... troubling.

With a weak smile, the scholar gently squeezed his sweetheart. "Really. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, Sig."

Come to think of it, there was _one_ thing the bug catcher wanted from Klug, something only the bookworm could grant him. Shifting a little so he could see the depressed looking mage's face, he reached out a hand and turned the sullen green-eyed gaze to face him.

Understandably, the mage was hesitant to look, afraid of upsetting his boyfriend again... and seeing the troubled expression there. _Even his hair plumes are flat_ , he noted with a wince, _I'm sorry, Sig, so, s-_

"Need one thing," his azure and crimson eyes narrowed, giving him a somewhat serious expression to go with the stern edge in his words, "need you to _stop blaming yourself_. Won't be happy until you do."

"Tch! I-I'm not-"

" _Bunny_ ," Sig scowled, claws poking into Klug's skin, "don't _lie_. You _are_. So _stop it_."

 _Nocte stella, his face isn't suited for anger. He_ **_still_ ** _looks so cute._ The mage couldn't help a small, twisted smile despite his mixed emotions. Quietly, he admitted, "but I _feel_ responsible. If I hadn't-"

" _Bunny!_ " He growled his time, pressing his left hand and its pointed nails against the stubborn idiot's chest, "wasn't the shirt. Didn't like it, but didn't _cause_ it. Being stared at _and_ restrained..."

Alarmed, the mage swallowed nervously, asking, "Sig... did something... before?"

Sig shook his head, adamant. "No. Not to... me. Don't remember anything like that."

 _To me?_ "Pardon, but what did you mean b-"

"Little blue thing, maybe. Get... feelings about stuff sometimes."

That... that actually _did_ make sense. Almost everything about the ghost-like demon's soul was unknown, mainly since the only way to communicate with it was through its book-bound crimson counterpart, Ayashii. They weren't exactly on the of best terms, to put it lightly.

With a weary sigh, he continued, "usually isn't this bad. Like, Aya makes it nervous."

"... But you don't know precisely _why_ it's nervous, is that it?"

"Mmhm. Not memories, just feelings."

 _Fascinating_. Dealing with foreign emotions, even if it was rare... that _had_ to be difficult to cope with. There was something else bothering Klug, however, something pressing.

"Sig, is it _still_ necessary to have your palm like this? If there's a reason, fine, but..."

 _Oh._ The entomophile almost removed it, but reconsidered, shaking his head. "Need you to stop feeling guilty first. Want it, asked for it, still haven't gotten it."

Having a satisfactory explanation of the happening helped ease his burden a little, but it was _still_ his actions that caused the terrified feeling to bubble to the surface. So, so far from absolution. "It's... it's hard. Sig, I-"

"-Stopped? Offered comfort? Couldn't have _done_ any more."

"If I didn't-"

" _Klug!_ 'M not your boyfriend to give you excuses t' hate yourself!" Voice raised, Sig bristled briefly before settling back down again. Mismatched eyes full of both love and pain, his arms dropped, coming to rest in his own lap. "Did it because I love you. Can't watch you hurt yourself. Just... can't. _Won't_. Don't wanna break up, Bunny..."

Inside the mage's head, Sig's words repeated over and over again while his body remained frozen. Motionless. _Useless_. Even if he wanted to move, he doubted he could muster the strength. Sig... had never threatened that before. He'd never anticipated it, never realized how gutted the idea would make him feel. _S-stars, I..._

 _Yep, that broke him._ At this point, the half-soul had anticipated the mage's total shutdown. With a long, drawn out sigh, he pulled the rabbit-y boy to him, holding his sweetheart in a loose hug. "Can't blame yourself for everything, Klug. Don't expect you to _stop_ , just... try only feeling guilty over stuff that _is_ your fault."

"It's... it's _hard_. Worse, _now_ I feel guilty for, well, _this_. Making you upset because I'm... I'm _me._ I've... I can't remember you _ever_ raising your voice like that before."

"Not upset, Klug. _Worried_ , about _you_. Hate seeing you feel like this..."

That... sounded pretty familiar. "Sig. Are you _trying_ to copy me? Reminding me of _that_ night on purpose?"

 _That_ night, when 'black' Sig had manifested. _That_ night, full of uncertainty and confusion. _That_ night, when they both had accepted each other.

"Ma~aybe," the half-demon drawled, nudging the mage's head lightly, "why? Gonna do something about it?"

"... You're doing it on purpose, no doubt about it," Klug half-heartedly grumbled, nudging the doe-eyed simpleton back, "quit being cute, it's making it harder for me to sulk..."

" _Good_. Not my fault you're easy to distract."

"Only when the distraction is _you_. Let's not forget, you get distracted by every shiny beetle or pretty moth you see!"

"Not _every_. Just, um, lots."

"Sig, admit it," he scoffed, intentionally sounding as acerbic as possible, "the minute you find a more interesting specimen, this bookworm's getting pinned and mounted to a piece of cardstock, isn't he?"

" _Bunny_ , don't stick any insects to cardstock! Not a _monster_ ," he hummed, nuzzling his catch's cheek.

"... Just pinned and mounted, then?"

"Pin you right now, sure. The other... maybe later?"

"... Sig."

"Klug?"

" _How_ do you do this? I felt miserable..."

"Mmmhm?"

"... But now we're goofing around."

"Nah, serious about pinning you. Very serious..."


End file.
